Calendar highlights : July, August, September

Our recent club meeting (already 3 weeks ago) set the scene for the coming months and there’s plenty to look forward to.

Friday evening flatwork lessons with Mary Finneran are already under way and in the second half of August we’ll have the opportunity for some jumping lessons. The instructor is yet to be confirmed and Tanya will be organising the series. In October, Kelda will teach us over coloured poles in good time for the Autumn North West Mini-League.

These two sets of lessons will be punctuated by a cross country go-as-you-please evening at Lenamore on Friday 2 August. Cormac is orchestrating that event and it will be a great opportunity for a spin around a very approachable collection of obstacles. Later in the calendar, on Saturday 21 September, we’re going to visit Marina and Enda’s homeplace for some derby training over expansive fields and lovely jumps.

All going well with availability, Libby will be organising an expedition on two legs to Rathmullan where we’ll try our hands at some or all of paddle boarding, kayaking and dinghy sailing. Full details of the activities, planned for Friday 26 July, will be available shortly and you’ll need to express your interest in good time so that numbers can be firmed up.

Everybody is already aware of activities at Cloncaw Equestrian Centre in Glaslough on Sundays 21 and 28 July. Make sure you get your entries in in time for both the Border Counties One-Day Event and the Regional Training Day. Anne Chambers is handling our club’s entries for the training day.

The Dublin Horse Show at the RDS in early August is a fixture on the annual calendar for many of our members and it will prove a sociable and interesting destination. In particular, enjoy the final of the Team Show Jumping Championships in Simmonscourt on Sunday 11 August.

Two highlights in particular should be noted firmly in members’ diaries. Firstly, Francis’s Treasure Hunt on Sunday 18 August will lead riders through our beautiful rural countryside with stunning views in search of elusive clues. Not to be missed. Secondly, in a change from our Miller’s Hill routine, we’ll be heading to Bundoran for a weekend away on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September. Our base will be Stracomer Stables, safely nestling in a dune landscape with no danger of waterlogging and cancellation! There’ll be the chance to enjoy their cross country course and endless opportunities for riding on the expansive beaches and sand dunes. Damien is chief organiser of the expedition and full details will emerge in due course.